Travel & Accommodations
Visitor Information
- Accommodations and Housing
- Bay Area Transit Information
- Berkeley Lab Visitor Information
- Berkeley Weather
- Maps and Directions to Berkeley Lab
Dining
No visit to the Bay Area is complete without sampling its wide range of fine foods. LBNL's restaurant web site provides an extensive list of places in Berkeley and North Oakland. Many local restaurants are listed the SFGate East Bay Neighborhood site.
Getting to the Training Facility
Additional transportation information will be sent to you upon registration.
Security and Bus Passes
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has heightened its security procedures. It is now mandatory for anyone entering Berkeley lab that does not hold a Berkeley Lab badge to show a photo ID and declare your citizenship.
For the TOUGH2 and TOUGHREACT Training attendees, please email Carol Valladao at with your name and citizenship so a gate pass can be processed to enter LBNL.
Travel and Visa Information
International Travel to Meetings in the U.S
We advise anyone who may need a visa to attend this Training Course to apply early. Visa applicants should apply at least 3 months in advance of the meeting. Security-related policies have greatly increased the processing time for visa applications. U.S. consular officers now usually interview applicants as part of the application process. If you need a letter of invitation, e-mail to make your request.
General Information About Visas
The National Academies maintains a web site about visa-related issues and travel information for U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens.
The State Department maintains a web site about U.S. visa policy and procedures.
- Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for visitors traveling to the U.S.
- Visas for students and exchange visitors in the U.S.
The State Department has required citizens from VWP countries to obtain visas if they do not have machine-readable passports and they wish to visit the U.S. One-time exemptions are no longer available to VWP nationals who do not possess a machine-readable passport or a non-immigrant visa.
Bay Area and Northern California Sights
Recreation and sightseeing possibilities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area are endless!
Nearby Destinations
Berkeley, home of the University of California at Berkeley, the Lawrence Hall of Science and LBNL, is known for its cultural diversity, art, beautiful parks, innovative businesses, and friendliness amongst neighbors. The Gourmet Ghetto, on Shattuck Avenue between Virginia and Rose, and the new 4th Street shopping/dining area on 4th and Hearst are well worth a visit. San Francisco is only 25 minutes away by BART from the conference site. The cable car terminal, Union Square, Geary Street theaters, SF Museum of Modern Art, and the Metreon entertainment and dining complex are a short walk from the Powell Street BART station. The City is also accessible by ferry from Jack London Square.
Parks, including Marin Headlands, Point Reyes National Seashore, Muir Woods National Monument, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the East Bay Regional Parks, offer scenic hiking and biking trails.
Further Away
Napa and Sonoma are world-class wine regions about an hour's drive north of Berkeley.
Monterey, with its world-famous aquarium, and Carmel are less than 3 hours drive southwest of Berkeley. Sierra Nevada Ski Resorts and Recreation Area are 3 hours drive east of Berkeley on I-80 (north Lake Tahoe) or US-50 (south Lake Tahoe).
Yosemite National Park is only about a four-hour drive away.
For more information, please contact Carol Valladao at (510) 486-5781 or via email at .